By Omar Rafik El-Sabrout & Mek

Earlier this week, Open Library’s Mek Karpeles, Internet Archive Summer of Code fellow Tabish Shaikh, and members of the community announced the launch of a new Book Sponsorship program which, boingboing.net explains, “lets you direct a cash donation to pay for the purchase and scanning of any books. In return, you are first in line to check that book out when it is available, and then anyone who holds an Open Library library card can check it out.”

So far, the program has been met by enthusiasm by readers and authors who are eager to play a role in shaping the world’s largest online digital library.